Method and apparatus for debarking and peeling logs or the like



June 24, 1969 MOREY TA 3,451,450

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DEBARKING AND FEELING LOGS OR THE LIKE FiledJune 15, 1966 Sheet of 2 A TTOR/VEYS June 24, 196 9 N. K. MOREY ETALMETHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DEBARKING AND FEELING LOGS OR THE LIKE SheetFiled June 15, 1966 F IG. 4

'Flcas F' l G .6

ATTORNEYS United States Patent f 3,451,450 METHOD AND APPARATUS FORDEBARKING AND PEELING LOGS OR THE LIKE Norval K. Morey and Harry D.Morey, Winn, Mich.,

assignors to Moi-bark Debarker Company, Winn, Mich.,

a corporation of Michigan Filed June 15, 1966, Ser. No. 557,656 Int. Cl.B271 1/00 US. Cl. 144-311 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A methodand apparatus for debarking and peeling a log wherein the log is fedspirally along a path leading to and beyond a work station and bark ischipped from the log at the station after which the log is shaved orpeeled to leave its surface relatively smooth.

This invention relates to log debarking and peeling and moreparticularly to methods and apparatus for debarking and smoothly peelinga log in a single operation so as quickly and efficiently to transformbark bearing logs into smooth surface posts or poles.

An object of this invention is to provide apparatus which is capable offeeding a log of any length to and beyond a debarking and peelingstation at which the bark is first removed, following which the debarkcdlog is peeled or shaved so as to provide a smooth surface post or pole.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the characterreferred to wherein the debarking of the log is a progressive operationwhich results in the surface of the logs being so conditioned at thetime of its arrival at the shaving Zone as to enable the surface to besmoothed with a minimum of wood removal.

Another object of the invention is to provide a debarking and cuttingassembly for use in apparatus of the kind described and which is capableof performing the func tions hereinbefore mentioned.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method offorming smooth-surfaced posts or poles from logs.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed outspecifically or will become apparent from the following description whenit is considered in conjunction with the appended claims and theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary, partly perspective and partly sectional viewof apparatus constructed in accordance :with the invention andillustrating a log in the process of being debarked and peeled;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the apparatus shownin FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of a debarking and peeling assemblyconstructed in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged diagrammatic view of the debarking and peelingassembly and illustrating the relationship between the chipping teeth ofthe debarking means and the peeling means, the teeth being shown forconvenience in illustrating this relationship as displaced to a positionin which they lie in an axial row with their cutting edges axiallyaligned with the cutting edge of a peeling knife;

FIGURE 5 is an elevational view of one end of the debarking and peelingassembly; and

FIGURE 6 is an elevational view of the other end of the assembly.

Apparatus constructed in accordance with the inven- 3,45 1,45 0'Patented June 24, 1969 tion incorporates many structural characteristicssimilar to the apparatus shown in the present assignees US. Patents Nos.2,912,023 and 3,016,074, to which reference may be had for certainstructural and operational details not specifically referred to herein.

The apparatus herein disclosed comprises a main frame 1 on which isrotatably supported a plurality of substantially horizontal rollers, oneof which is shown at 2 in FIGURE 1, so as to enable a log L to be fedalong a generally horizontal path from right to left, as viewed inFIGURE 1, toward and beyond a debarking and peeling station 3. Aplurality of similar rollers 4' are supported by the frame to the leftof the station 3 so as to enable the log to be supported as it is movedbeyond the station.

Means designated generally by the reference character 5 is provided forfeeding the log L to and beyond the debarking and peeling station andcomprises a plurality of log engaging wheels or rolls so arranged as toprovide a nip between which the log L is gripped. The feeding means islocated substantially at the deharking and peeling station and comprisesa pair of upper rolls 6 and 7 which are journaled for rotation onsupporting arms 8 and 9, respectively, which may be pivoted to the mainframe in substantially the manner disclosed in Patent No. 3,016,074. Theroll 6 is an infeed roll and its peripheral surface preferably isprovided with spikes or studs 10 so as to enable it to grip securely thebark on the log L. A roll 6a (FIGURE 3) similar in all respects to theroll 6 is disposed adjacent the infeed side of the station 3 and belowthe log L so as to cooperate with the roll 6 in feeding and rotating thelog. The roll 7 is located adjacent the outfeed side of the station 3and has a substantially smooth peripheral surface such as would beprovided by a rubber tire. A roll -11 similar in all respects to theroll 7 is located adjacent the outfeed side of the station 3, but belowthe log L so as to assist in feeding and rotating the latter.

The rolls 6 and 7 are rotated in the directions shown by the arrows inFIGURE 1 by means of chain and sprocket drive assemblies 12 which may bedriven from a suitable motor (not shown). The lower feed rolls aredriven by similar means, only the chain and sprocket assembly 12a forthe outfeed roll 11 being shown in the drawings.

As indicated in FIGURES 1 and 2, the axes of rotation of the fed rollsare inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the log 7 so assimultaneously to cause the log to move axially and to rotate about itslongitudinal axis, as is explained more fully in the aforementionedpatents. Consequently, a point on the periphery of the log L will movealong a spiral path as the log is advanced to and beyond the station 3.

Rotatably mounted at the debarking and peeling station 3 is a combinedchipping and peeling or shaving assembly 13. The assembly 13 (seeFIGURES 3 and 4) comprises a chipper unit 14 and a peeling unit 15having generally cylindrical bodies arranged in end-to-end abuttingrelation with the peeling unit located downstream of the chipper unit.The assembly 13 is keyed or otherwise fixed to a shaft 16 that isjournaled in brackets 17 and 18 supported on the main frame at thestation 3. One end of the shaft 16 is fixed to a drive unit 19 ofconventional construction and which may be chain driven from the samemotor that drives the feed rolls.

The body of the chipper unit 14 is provided with a plurality ofsubstantially radially projecting, circumferentially spaced carbidetipped chipper teeth generally designated 20. In a typical embodiment ofthe machine there preferably are six axially spaced rows of teeth withtwo diametrially opposed teeth in each row, the teeth in each row beingcircumferentially staggered relatively to the teeth in the other rows insuch manner that, when the chipper unit is viewed from one end, theteeth 20 appear to be generally uniformly spaced about the periphery ofthe body, (See FIGURE 5). Generally speaking, the teeth comprisecylindrical members which are shouldered to receive the carbide chippinginserts C which are fixed thereto.

The chipper teeth which may be added to the body 14 are not all ofuniform height. That is, not all of the teeth 20 extend the same radialdistance from the axis of rotation of the unit 14. Preferably, the teethat the free or outboard end of the body are the shortest in height andthe height of the other teeth increases progressively in a directiontoward the peeler unit 15. This characteristic of the apparatus isdiagrammatically illustrated in FIG- URE 4, wherein the teeth of the sixrows are shown as being axially aligned. The teeth are numberedconsecutively 20a20f, beginning with the shortest or outboard tooth.

As is illustrated in FIGURE 4, the cutting edge of each tooth isinclined to the axis of rotation of the unit 14 and upwardly in adirection toward the unit 15. Thus, the tooth 20a has an upwardlyinclined cutting edge 21a, the tooth 2012 has an upwardly inclinedcutting edge 21b, and so on. The relationship of the cutting edges ofthe teeth is such that the height of the highest part of the cuttingedge of any outboard tooth corresponds to the lowest cutting edge of thenext adjacent inboard tooth. The inclination of the cutting edges of theteeth 20a-20d is substantially uniform, but the inclination of thecutting edges of the teeth 20c and 20 is more steep. Thus, each of theteeth of the chipper unit will be enabled to engage the periphery of alog as it moves axially along the chipper unit, even though the moreoutboard teeth will have removed part of the bark and thereby decreasedthe diameter of the log.

The peeler unit 15 is provided with a body having four axially extendingrecesses 22 in each of which is seated a knife blade 23 having asharpened edge 24 which projects substantially tangentially beyond theperiphery of the body. Each blade is secured to the body by bolts 25which pass through openings formed in clamp plates 26 and through slots27 formed in the blades 23. The slots 27 enable adjustment of the blades23 generally tangentially of the unit 15.

As is shown in FIGURE 4, the cutting edge 24 of each blade 23 is locatedat a greater radial distance than are the teeth 20 from the axis ofrotation of the shaft 16. However, the inboard end of the cutting edge24 terminates in a downwardly inclined portion 2401 which extends to thelevel of the upper edge of the tooth surface 21 so as to prevent deepand sudden gouging of the logs surface. The outboard end of the cuttingedge 24 also ter-minates in a downwardly inclined edge 24b so as toprevent the pressure of the outfeed roll 7 which slightly compresses theradially outermost portion of the logs peeled surface from causinggouging and ringing of the surface of the log by the blade as the logleaves the station 3.

Preferably, there are log supporting members or shoes 28 and 29 atopposite ends of the station 3 to provide support and vertical stabilityfor the log as it enters and leaves the debarking and peeling station.These shoes may be of the type disclosed in Patent No. 3,016,074.

In the operation of the apparatus, a log L containing bark B issupported on the infeed rollers 2 and advanced endWise toward thestation 3. As the leading end of the log is engaged by the upper andlower infeed rolls 6, the log will be simultaneously rotated and movedaxially so as to enable the chipper teeth 20 to engage and chip oif thebark B, along with dirt, ice, knots, and the like. As the log continuesto be rotated and moved axially, the blades 23 peel or shave thedebarked surface so as to provide a smooth surface S. The upper andlower outfeed rolls 7 and 11 will engage the thus smoothed surface andcontinue the rotation and axial feeding of the log. As successiveportions of the log move beyond the station 3, the log will be supportedon the outfeed rollers 4 and the shoes 28 and 29, until such time as theentire log has been debarked and peeled.

The apparatus and method are such that a log of any length may bedebarked and shaved or peeled in a single pass through the station 3.

The disclosed method and apparatus are representative of presentlypreferred forms thereof, but are intended to be illustrative rather thandefinitive of the invention. The invention is defined in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In debarking apparatus: means for moving a barkbearing log spirallyalong a path past a debarking station; combined chipping and shavingmeans mounted at said debarking station in the path of movement of saidlog for engagement with the periphery of said log; and means forrotating said chipping and shaving means; said combined chipping andshaving means comprising a toothed chipper unit having axially spacedcutting teeth and a contiguous cutting blade unit having at least oneblade extending generally radially outwardly beyond any tooth, saidblade unit being downstream of said path from said chipper unit.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said edge portion of saidblade terminates in end portions which are closer to said axis than isthe intermediate portion.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein successive downstream teethproject progressively farther radially from said axis.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the axially downstreamteeth project further radially than do the axially upstream teeth.

5. Debarking apparatus comprising: means for moving a log with barkthereon in a spiral path; a rotatable means adjacent said path; aplurality of radially projecting, circumferentially and axially spacedteeth on said rotatable means adjacent one end thereof; and a pluralityof substantially tangentially projecting, circumferentially spacedblades on said rotatable means adjacent its other end, each of saidblades having a cutting edge thereon extending axially of said rotatablemeans from the axially innermost of said teeth toward the other end ofsaid rotatable means.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein the terminal end of each ofsaid blades adjacent said other end of said rotatable means is inclinedradially inwardly of said rotatable means.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein the opposite terminal endsof each of said blades are inclined radially inwardly of said rotatablemeans.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said means for moving thelog comprises a pair of nip forming rolls having projecting spikes and apair of smooth surfaced nip forming rolls downstream of said rolls withspikes.

9. Debarking apparatus comprising: means for moving a log with barkthereon in a spiral path; rotatable means adjacent said path rotatableabout an axis and having a charge end and a discharge end; a pluralityof radially projecting circumferentially and axially spaced teeth onsaid rotatable means for engaging the log, as it is moved spirally past,and removing the bark therefrom; axially successive teeth in a directionfrom the charge end to the discharge end projecting progressivelyfarther from the axis to compensate for bark already removed bypreceding teeth on said rotatable means and having generally inclinedcutting edges arranged such that the height of the highest part of thecutting edge of a tooth substantially corresponds to the lowest part ofthe cutting edge of an axially next tooth in a direction toward thedischarge end.

10. A method of debarking and peeling a log or the like comprising:spirally feeding said log along a path leading to and beyond a debarkingand peeling station; chipping bark in progressively deeper incrementsfrom said log at the upstream end of the station; and there- 5 6 aftershaving said leg at the downstream end of the 3,016,074 1/1962 Baker eta1. 144-208 station. 2,950,743 8/1960 Napier et a1. 144208 ReferencesCited N A P U ITED STAT S AT S FRA CIS S HUS R, rzmary Exammer 2,305,28112/1942 Taylor et a1. 144-208 5 US. Cl. X.R. 2,705,033 3/1955 Leonard144 20s -2 2,8 19,744 1/ 1958 Chuet et a1 144247 XR

